The mission of CaliforniaVolunteers is to increase the number and impact of Californians engaged in service and volunteering. One area of focus is disaster preparedness.

CaliforniaVolunteers is the lead oversight agency for the California Citizen Corps Program, which was created post 9/11 to coordinate volunteer activities to make our communities safer, stronger and better prepared to respond to any emergency. CaliforniaVolunteers ensures the coordination of volunteer activities related to disaster response and recovery, including necessary training, equipment, and transportation provisions. CaliforniaVolunteers also manages donations to the state for disaster relief.

The California Citizen Corps Program includes Citizen Corps Councils, Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT), Medical Reserve Corps, Neighborhood Watch, Volunteers in Police Service and Fire Corps. In partnership with the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security, Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster and other state and local organizations, CaliforniaVolunteers works to strengthen the state’s readiness for and ability to respond to large-scale disasters.

First of all I would suggest determine your family’s risk. When disaster strikes, emergency workers may be delayed in responding, so you need to learn what to do, have a plan and be prepared to take care of yourself, your family and your community.

How prepared are you in the event of a disaster?  Have you thought about putting together a backpack of “necessities” that is ready to grab at any given moment?  Just a few suggestions of things to make sure you have packed and ready to go is diapers, formula, blanket, flashlights, extra batteries, and water.  I want to point out something I didn’t think of, however, was brought up and the event I attended.  In your emergency backpack, throw in a pair of tennis shoes!  You really don’t want to be caught off guard, walking around in heels!   Of course, you will want to personalize your emergency backpack to meet your family’s needs.


Captain Dan Quiggle (right) of the Cosumnes CSD Fire Department gives mom bloggers disaster-preparedness tips during an interactive walk-through, at a CaliforniaVolunteers WE Prepare event in Sacramento, CA.


Captain Dan Quiggle (right) of the Cosumnes CSD Fire Department gives mom bloggers disaster-preparedness tips during an interactive walk-through, at a CaliforniaVolunteers WE Prepare event in Sacramento, CA.


Captain Dan Quiggle (right) of the Cosumnes CSD Fire Department gives mom bloggers family disaster-preparedness tips at a CaliforniaVolunteers WE Prepare event in Sacramento, CA.

:note There is a ton of information on the CA Volunteers website!  I suggest you go over and download and customize a very informative disaster preparedness book for your Kiddo’s. This is great for kids, it lets them know what to do in case of an emergency without scaring them.

The information you enter into your family plan will automatically customize your children’s book – another great tool to help your family and child become disaster prepared.


A Special Thanks goes out to Jessica Payne along with all of the CA Volunteers for the opportunity to assess and determine what our family needs to have ready (just in case).

Jessica has graciously offered 12 Lucky Frugal Plus Readers the chance to Win a Disaster Prep Kit (shown above, left-hand side of photo) to help get you started on your safety plan!

To Enter:

Valid for Residents of the U.S., age 18 and older. Please no PO Boxes.

Two Mandatory Entries:

** You must be a Subscriber of Frugal Plus. You are welcome to sign up on the right-hand sidebar of our blog. Your subscription must be active, so be sure to check your email and activate it.

** List one thing your family couldn’t do without in your emergency pack

Extra Entries:

** Follow Coupons4Me on Twitter and Tweet this Giveaway. You may tweet once a day until the end of the giveaway for an extra entry (leave the link to your Tweet in your comment(s)

** Follow Frugal Plus on Facebook (leave your ID in your comment)

** Put Frugal Plus’ Button on your Blog (leave the link in your comment)

This Giveaway will end Friday, December 18, 2009.

The Winner(s) will be chosen by Random.org. I will post the Winner(s) here on Frugal Plus, as well as, email directly. You will then have 48 hours to claim your Prize.

Logo/Images Courtesy of FrugalPlus.com, ©2009 State of California